View source for Blackwell Unbound

{{Short description|2007 video game}}
{{infobox VG
| title = Blackwell Unbound
| image = Blackwell_Unbound_poster.png
| developer = [[Wadjet Eye Games]]
| publisher = Wadjet Eye Games
| designer = [[Dave Gilbert (game designer)|Dave Gilbert]]
| artist = [[Erin Robinson]]
| composer = Thomas Regin
| series = ''[[Blackwell (series)|Blackwell]]''
| engine = [[Adventure Game Studio]]
| platforms = [[Windows]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[iOS]], [[Linux]], [[macOS]]
| released = September 4, 2007 (Windows)<br>2014 (ports)
| genre = [[Adventure game|Adventure]]
| modes = [[Single-player]]
}}
'''''Blackwell Unbound''''' is a 2007 [[graphic adventure game]] developed and published by [[Wadjet Eye Games]]. It is the sequel to ''[[The Blackwell Legacy]]'', and the second entry in the ''[[Blackwell (series)|Blackwell]]'' series.

==Plot==
The second game is a prequel to ''Legacy'' and follows the investigations of Rosa's aunt Lauren Blackwell and Joey back in the 70s. They investigate two ghosts – a murdered saxophone player and a murdered woman haunting a construction site of her old apartment building. While investigating the two seemingly unrelated incidents, Lauren discovers that both ghosts have been murdered by the same elderly, homeless woman that calls herself The Countess. She claims that she is a [[Mediumship|medium]] like Lauren and is also helping the people move on. However, because she is targeting humans who are still alive as opposed to actual ghosts, it quickly becomes clear that she is mad and needs to be stopped. The duo tries to catch her multiple times, but Lauren, being a chain smoker, is unable to keep up with the surprisingly agile old woman, and the Countess escapes every time.

Lauren and Joey are puzzled by The Countess' claims about being a medium, due to the obvious lack of a spirit guide accompanying her. The two eventually learn that the Countess is using New Yorker journalist Joseph Mitchell as a spirit guide substitute and kills whoever he writes about. Mitchell eventually made the connection himself, and stopped writing altogether out of fear of getting anyone else killed. Lauren then convinces Mitchell to write about her to lure The Countess out of hiding. The Countess arrives at Lauren's apartment, and attempts to kill Lauren by choking her. Lauren eventually overpowers the Countess by tossing her off of her balcony. After her near-death experience, Lauren decides to get in touch with her estranged brother again, despite Joey's misgivings about it.<ref>{{cite video game |title=Blackwell Unbound |developer=Wadjet Eye Games |date=4 September 2007 |platform=[[Personal computer|PC]]}}</ref>

==Development==
As with ''Legacy'', ''Unbound'' uses the [[Adventure Game Studio]] engine. ''Unbound'' was originally supposed to be a flashback sequence in the next game, ''The Blackwell Convergence'', but it grew so large that it became a game in its own right.

The story features a real person as a character: writer [[Joseph Mitchell (writer)|Joseph Mitchell]] of [[the New Yorker]].

The game was released on September 4, 2007 for Windows. Ports for other platforms were released in 2014.

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| GR = 85%<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/942386-blackwell-unbound/index.html |title=Blackwell Unbound for PC |website=[[GameRankings]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001221228/http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/942386-blackwell-unbound/index.html |url-status=dead | archivedate=October 1, 2013 | accessdate=September 27, 2018}}</ref>
|AdvGamers = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/18102|title = Blackwell Unbound review|date = October 2007}}</ref>
| GameZone = 8.5/10<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamezone.com/products/blackwell-unbound/reviews/blackwell-unbound-review |title=Blackwell Unbound review - Blackwell Unbound Review &#124; GameZone |website=www.gamezone.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305123747/http://www.gamezone.com/products/blackwell-unbound/reviews/blackwell-unbound-review |archive-date=5 March 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev1 = ''[[Just Adventure]]''
| rev1Score = A<ref>{{cite web |url=http://justadventure.com/reviews/BlackwellUnbound/BU.shtm |title=Blackwell Unbound Review: Just Adventure - Reviews Walkthroughs and AdventureNews! |website=justadventure.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215234215/http://justadventure.com/reviews/BlackwellUnbound/BU.shtm |archive-date=15 February 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev2 = [[GameZebo]]
| rev2Score = {{rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamezebo.com/games/blackwell-unbound/review |title=Blackwell Unbound Review &#124; Gamezebo |website=www.gamezebo.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421133251/http://www.gamezebo.com/games/blackwell-unbound/review |archive-date=21 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

The game was nominated for Best Story and won Best Music in the [[AGS Awards]] for games released in 2007.<ref>[http://americangirlscouts.org/agswiki/AGS_Awards_2007]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080227105407/http://americangirlscouts.org/agswiki/AGS_Awards_2007|date=February 27, 2008}}</ref>

{{-}}

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*{{official|http://www.wadjeteyegames.com/games/blackwell-unbound/}}
*{{moby game|id=/blackwell-unbound}}

{{Wadjet Eye Games}}

[[Category:2007 video games]]
[[Category:Adventure Game Studio games]]
[[Category:Adventure games]]
[[Category:Android (operating system) games]]
[[Category:Indie games]]
[[Category:IOS games]]
[[Category:Linux games]]
[[Category:MacOS games]]
[[Category:Point-and-click adventure games]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:Video game prequels]]
[[Category:Video games about ghosts]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Video games featuring female protagonists]]
[[Category:Video games set in New York City]]
[[Category:Wadjet Eye Games games]]
[[Category:Windows games]]